The Greatest Master of Them All
by EKessler
Summary: Ash Ketchum has advanced to the final round of the Indigo League Tournament, and is confident that he can win the Championship! However, Prof. Oak stops by and gives him some information about his future opponent. A trainer who, like Ash, got his start in Pallet Town, receiving his first Pokémon from Prof. Oak...
1. Chapter 1

_Thank you for taking the time to read my first ever fanfiction. I worked very hard on this, and plan to update it in one week's time. If you have the time, please leave a review. If there is anything lacking in my story that needs improvement, your reviews will be the only way I would know that. Thank you!_

_I do not own __Pokémon, its characters, or anything associated with the anime or games. I am also not affiliated with those that do own __Pokémon._

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**Chapter 1**

_We find our heroes in Indigo Stadium, as our friend Ash attempts to conquer what is perhaps his greatest challenge yet. Battling in the semi-finals of the Indigo League Championship, Ash and his opponent have each defeated one of the other's Pokémon, and are now struggling to find even the slightest of advantages over the other. However, it seems that his foe's Pokémon may have finally been caught off-guard..._

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Seeing his opportunity, Pikachu obeyed his master's command, releasing a massive bolt of electricity upon an unprepared Hypno. Her eyes hadn't even caught up to Pikachu before the attack made full contact, sending a powerful surge of electricity coursing through her body, sending her straight to the ground.

The referee only needed a moment's examination before raising the green flag on Ash's side. "Hypno is unable to battle. This round goes to Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu!"

The announcement caused a joyous uproar of thousands of fans who had come to view this spectacular tournament, many of whom had been solidly won over by Ash, who seemed more like a champion each day of the tournament. Not just the crowd cheered and backed its favorite, but behind Ash stood his most loyal fans. Misty, the Water-Pokémon trainer from Cerulean City, leapt for joy at the upset victory. Even her Togepi, held ever-so snugly in her arms, gave her own little cheer, though she probably had little idea of what had transpired. To her left stood Brock, the Rock-Pokémon trainer from Pewter City, raising his fist in the air as he cheered for his friend. Not as enthusiastic as Misty, but nonetheless proud of Ash. In front of both of them, Ash's new friend Richie also raised a cheer for the trainer that bested him just days before, just as he had promised. All three of them provided the best cheering section Ash could ask for.

As the cheering began to die down, the announcer took his chance to be heard. _"Wow! In an _electrifying_ upset, Pikachu has defied the odds and brought down Hypno! This leaves the Saffron trainer Samantha Seer with one final Pokémon in reserve, as opposed to the Pallet trainer Ash Ketchum, who has two. The odds have definitely shifted in this amazing bout between two of the strongest trainers in all of Kanto!"_

Ash's opponent, Samantha, did not need to be reminded of that vital fact. She looked upon her Hypno in shock and concern, as one of her strongest Pokémon had been felled by a mere Pikachu. The shock left her face as she called her Hypno to return to her Poké Ball, and Samantha returned to the strong and confident facade that she had held this entire battle. Ash didn't know it, but she was actually worrying about her next move, as she was counting on Hypno defeating Pikachu. She had been saving her strongest Pokémon for last, but she questioned whether or not it would last through both Pikachu and whatever Ash had in reserve. Nevertheless, it was the only move she could make, her last chance of victory. Perhaps Pikachu had been weakened in the last battle. After all, Hypno did _not _go down easily. Either way, her chances of winning rested in the arms of this final Pokémon. In one swift motion, she plucked the Poké Ball from her belt and cast it into the stadium.

Their celebration having subsided, Ash and Pikachu, as well as the rest of the stadium, looked anxiously upon the Poké Ball that had entered the fray. Their eyes grew as it opened, allowing the creature inside to be released and take form.

Gengar.

The announcer didn't skip a beat. _"Incredible! It seems the Saffron trainer has called out a Gengar, and an impressive one at that! This announcer has seen many in the past, but this one has got to be the largest by far! This one is going to be a challenge. I hope for Ash Ketchum's sake that he's up to the task!"_

Samantha's last chance to win stood imposingly before Ash's now-intimidated Pikachu. But Pikachu didn't let it interfere as he awaited Ash's command. The trainers waited for the referee's signal. Pikachu and Gengar made their way to the center of the stadium. The referee then raised his flags, then brought them down.

Samantha's command came nearly half a second before Ash's.

"Gengar! Hypnosis!"

"Pikachu! Agility!"

Both Pokémon quickly obliged, as Gengar tried to lock her menacing eyes with those of Pikachu, but Pikachu's speed allowed him to escape her gaze and run circles around Gengar, making it almost impossible to see exactly where he was at any given moment. Samantha recognized this as exactly what happened with her Hypno, but she was ready this time.

"Gengar! Use Confuse Ray!"

Gengar didn't need to be told anything else. She predicted where Pikachu would most likely be in the next instant, and launched a ray of light in that very area. Sure enough, Pikachu caught full force of the ray and, no longer able to keep his balance, stumbled face-first into the stadium floor, rolling with the momentum he had been carrying.

Ash was surprised at the strength of that attack, but didn't waste a moment. "Pikachu! Thundershock!" But Pikachu stalled, trying to make sense of the command, if just for an instant.

It was all Samantha needed. "Hypnosis!"

Pikachu couldn't escape this time. Gengar's deep red eyes locked firmly with those of Pikachu, lulling him into a powerful sleep. If Pikachu hadn't already been on the floor, he would have hit it like a rock.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled to his companion, trying to get him to wake up, but Pikachu didn't even blink.

Samantha smiled as control returned to her. With full confidence and determination, she yelled only one word, "Nightmare!" Gengar's grin grew even more sinister as she stood over a helpless Pikachu. Almost instantaneously, Pikachu began thrashing about in his sleep, seemingly attempting to fight something off. As Pikachu experienced Nightmare for the first time, Ash was living his own nightmare, watching his beloved Pikachu suffer at the hands of this Pokémon. The effect wasn't lost on the audience, most of whom hadn't seen Ghost-type moves as advanced as this. Even the announcer was at a loss for words. Ash's friends were deeply disturbed, and Misty had to cover Togepi's eyes for this one. However, none were as horrified as Ash, watching Pikachu growing weaker and weaker at the hands of his own mind.

Ash cried out one last time in sheer desperation, "PIKACHU! WAKE UP!" But it was no use. Gengar's Hypnosis was far too powerful for Pikachu to overcome so soon, and Pikachu was now at the mercy of Nightmare. Pikachu continued to writhe and squirm until he finally succumbed fully to the attack.

At last, he laid still, unmoving, but still breathing. The referee noted this, and once the shock wore off, he slowly raised the red flag. "Pikachu is unable to battle. The round goes to Samantha Seer and her Gengar!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ash ran out into the field to his Pikachu. He cradled him in his arms, hoping desperately that he would wake up. "Pikachu…can you hear me?" Pikachu had finally woken up, but was far too hurt to give a response. Ash carried him back to the stand on his side of the stadium, giving him a Potion to help him stand. "You did great, Pikachu. I'm proud of you." Pikachu smiled lightly at the encouragement, and sat down to take a well-deserved rest.

Meanwhile, the announcer made his commentary after a slight delay. _"That was…quite difficult to watch, but it seems that this Gengar is the real deal."_ Some in the audience were half-expecting a Nightmare-related pun to go along with that, but it would have been in terrible taste. _"We eagerly await what Pokémon Ash will choose for the final round of this contest."_

Even those who supported Samantha made little effort to cheer after this brief victory. It would take a hard heart to do so after viewing the horror Pikachu had experienced. Still, they awaited Ash's Pokémon with anticipation.

As did he. He never saw a Gengar with that much power before. He thought hard about whom to send out next. There was no way his Squirtle or Bulbasaur could go up against it, and his Kingler had already been defeated. Pidgeotto might stand a chance, but she didn't have as much speed as Pikachu did, even with the air advantage. She might go down just as quickly. He did have a stronger Pokémon, but he still questioned whether or not it was up to the task. Then again, it did secure his victory against Richie, against all odds, though it hadn't been used since then. After a moment or two of weighing his options, he made his decision.

"Pick whatever you want, you still don't stand a chance against Gengar," Samantha yelled from her stand, growing impatient. Gengar, however, was still savoring her victory and relishing in the positive feedback of her master. Gengar was just as confident as Samantha was.

"Alright," Ash said under his breath as he reached for his Poké Ball, hoping for a miracle. Letting none of his nervousness show in his voice, he cast the Poké Ball, shouting for all to hear, "I choose you…Charizard!"

Sure enough, once the ball hit the stadium floor, the Fire-Pokémon emerged in a stunning show of power. _"Oh my gosh! The trainer Ash Ketchum has chosen Charizard! There may yet be hope for the Pallet trainer after all, but he still needs to go up against Samantha Seer's impressive Gengar! Either way, it looks like this is going to be a heck of a battle!"_

The stadium erupted in a roar of excitement, especially Ash's own cheering section, who now saw another chance for victory for their friend. Samantha, however, did not share their enthusiasm. She didn't think Ash would use Charizard, especially since it almost cost him the match last time he used it. She happened to be in the audience for that one. Still, Gengar was at full strength, having taken down Pikachu without much of a fight, so she still felt confident.

The two Pokémon approached each other, waiting for the signal. The referee gave the sign to begin.

"Hypnosis!"

"Flamethrower!"

The Ghost-Pokémon was faster, locking with Charizard's eyes as it had Pikachu's. Charizard began to look dazed and succumb to the move.

"Keep it up, Gengar! Don't stop until he's completely asleep," called Samantha, refusing to underestimate Ash's dragon.

Ash was determined. "Fight it Charizard! Stay awake! You can do this!" Charizard was indeed fighting it. Those who could see his face could tell that he wasn't getting tired. He was getting _angry_. And that's just what Ash needed. As if predicting Ash's next command, Charizard broke free of the Hypnosis attack and launched a powerful Flamethrower that caught Gengar completely by surprise. She was able to jump out of the way, but only barely, as her right arm caught the blaze. It was a rare sight, but there was Charizard, ready to fight, waiting for his master's command, and the crowd was loving it.

"Good job, Charizard! Now hit it with a Fire Blast!" Charizard happily obeyed, blasting the kanji of fire straight at Gengar, who, again, only barely got out of the way in time. But Charizard didn't stop. He launched blasts of fire wherever he could see his enemy, not once pausing. At the fifth blast, he caught Gengar with the full attack. This sent Gengar flying to the other side of the stadium and rolling after hitting the ground. But after a moment or two, she could stand. She was, however, badly hurt.

This turn of events made Samantha worry. "Gengar! Night Shade!" Darkness then emanated from Gengar, forming a wave of energy that launched itself straight at Charizard.

Ash yelled out, "Charizard, watch out!" But Charizard had been struck by the Ghost-Pokémon's powerful attack, which managed to knock him back a step. Luckily, though, Charizard was still up. After taking a second to compose himself, he charged after Gengar. Having grown weak from using so many Fire Blasts, he began his attack with the next best thing: Flamethrower. Soon, both Pokémon began charging each other with sudden strikes of Flamethrower, Night Shade, Ember, and even Confuse Ray, but Charizard remained too strong for it.

Samantha didn't like this. Charizard was enduring Gengar's most important moves, and fighting through the ones that could actually affect it. All she could think of was, "Keep at it, Gengar! It's got to tire itself out, eventually!" And she was right. Unfortunately for her, Gengar was tiring out, too.

On the opposite end, Ash was excited. Charizard had a chance. Ash saw that Gengar was fast, but he also saw that it was getting tired. Charizard was using up a lot of his fire, but Gengar was slowing down. If it would slow down just enough, Charizard could get at it, then hit it hard enough to bring it down.

Charizard probably knew this as well, as he was getting closer to Gengar, who had her flank seared by the last Flamethrower attack. Knowing Gengar was getting tired, Charizard began to exert himself even more, pressing his flame attacks harder and harder until one made full contact with Gengar. However, she still managed to stay up, refusing to give in. Irritated and tired, Charizard lunged after his exhausted foe, managing to grab hold of her in a tight embrace, refusing to let go.

This gave Ash the inspiration he needed. "Charizard! Fly!" Charizard understood, as he flew straight up into the air, carrying a weak Gengar with him. Every head in the stadium went up, watching as the dragon carried the ghost higher and higher, Ash watching in determination, Samantha in fear. Ash had absolutely no love for this particular Pokémon, and Samantha knew it. No doubt she brought this upon herself, inflicting that Nightmare upon Pikachu, but it was too late now. Once the two fighters were almost out of sight, Charizard did a complete 180, coming straight down with his cargo, eyes fixed intently upon the ground. Almost everybody in the audience knew what was coming. As Charizard quickly neared the ground, he released his hostage.

In a mighty collision, Gengar struck the ground at full force while Charizard turned ninety degrees and flew back to Ash's side of the field, landing triumphantly. Once the smoke cleared, everyone, including the referee, looked upon the broken mess that was Gengar, looking for any sign of movement or ability to battle. None was found. In that realization, the referee, not once breaking his objectively professional demeanor, raised the green flag. "Gengar is unable to battle. Ash Ketchum wins the semi-final battle!"

The stadium erupted in cheering and praise for the finalist, as the crowd had been completely won over by Ash, not exactly because of his Charizard, but because of his resolve throughout the entire battle, especially the way he avenged his Pikachu. Charizard gave no sign of enthusiasm, but it was clear that he enjoyed his domination of Gengar. Ash returned him to his Poké Ball, gratefully adding, "Thanks, Charizard. You did great."

"_Looks like this _heated _matchup has finally come to an end, and Ash Ketchum leaves as the victor once again. Remember, tomorrow is the final battle of the tournament, where Ash will battle the other finalist in the match that will determine the winner and new Indigo League Champion!"_

Once the announcer had finished, Ash came down from the stand, followed by Pikachu, who had recovered much more from his own battle with Gengar and also shared Ash's excitement. They were then practically ambushed by their friends, who kept trying to find the right way to congratulate him. Richie was trying to get his voice heard over the cheering of the crowd without any success, while Brock was trying to find an opportunity to get a word in. Misty, on the other hand, suddenly hugged Ash, telling him how awesome that fight was. She then quickly realized what she was doing and broke away, leaving both her and Ash blushing slightly.

Ash was clearly happy. "Thanks, guys. Thanks for being there for me. I don't know if I could have done it without you behind me."

Richie quickly interjected, "Of course, you could have! It looked a little shaky near the end, but I knew right from the start you were going to win."

Brock finally was able to cut in. "I agree, Ash. To be honest, I think you're starting to look a lot like a champion to these people." Ash looked to the spectators for confirmation. As Brock said, they were all looking to him in sheer adoration, most of them still cheering for him. As he was looking, he caught the gaze of Samantha, who had already called back her Gengar. She looked somewhat disappointed, but accepting of her fate. She broke eye contact quickly and simply walked away. Ash figured a handshake would be quite out of the question after what had transpired.

His train of thought was interrupted by Misty. "Well, come on, Ash! We should celebrate. After all, the finals aren't until tomorrow evening. We have plenty of time."

"Yeah, but let's go to the Pokémon Center first," said Ash, clearly concerned for his team.

"Pika…chu," agreed Pikachu, still exhausted.

"Haha, alright Pikachu," Ash replied, picking him up and departing the stadium with his friends. "Let's…," but before Ash could finish his thought, he was suddenly confronted by a couple of familiar faces. "Professor Oak? Mom?"

"Oh, Ash, honey! I'm so proud of you," said his mother as she quickly ran up to embrace him. "I was so scared after what happened to your poor little Pikachu!"

"Mom, really, it's okay. I was just taking him to the Pokémon Center anyway."

Prof. Oak gave an approving nod. "As you should Ash. I saw the whole thing, and that match was one of the most grueling I've ever seen. But you still did a spectacular job." Ash thanked them and was about to continue on until Prof. Oak stopped him again. "Actually, Ash, I have something I think I should talk to you about. Why don't you have your mom take your Pokémon and your friends to the Center and we'll catch up with them soon." He turned to Ash's friends and mother. "Is that alright with you?"

They exchanged glances. "I don't see why not. I'd love to hold on to them for you," Mrs. Ketchum replied to Oak. Ash gave a knowing nod to Oak, realizing that what he has to say must be important. After giving his Poké Balls to his mother and watching her depart with his friends (except for Pikachu, who wanted to stay with Ash, and Richie, who promised to meet them after the battle tomorrow), he and Oak went the other way for a short distance.

"Ash, I need you to stay with me on this, because you're probably not going to like what I have to say."

Ash was now curious. "What is it, Professor? I promise I'll listen."

Oak nodded. "Okay, Ash. When we go to the Pokémon Center to meet with your friends, Gary is going to be there."

Ash went straight from curious to confused. "What? I thought he left after losing his last match."

Oak nodded once more. "He did, but once I found out whom you will be facing in the final match tomorrow evening, I called him and asked him to come back. He and I both have information about this trainer that you should know."

When Oak told Ash that he knew whom he was going to face, he no longer cared that it was Gary who was going to provide the information. He decided to put his little rivalry aside if Gary was also willing to. "Okay, Professor Oak. Who's the trainer?"

Oak became very serious. "Ash, remember when I first gave you Pikachu, how the other three Pokémon I was giving out were already taken?"

"Yeah, how could I forget?" Ash noticed Pikachu's ears perk up at the mention of their first meeting.

"Yes, of course, Ash. You see, you arrived right after Gary left, having already chosen Squirtle. Before he ran into you, however, he was leaving to find the trainer whom he just saw leave with a Charmander."

Ash immediately understood. "He wanted to battle him."

Oak smiled. "Exactly. My point is, the trainer who received my Charmander that day…is the very same trainer you will be battling in the finals tomorrow. And I believe Gary may be able to give you some information about him."

Ash wasn't expecting that. One of the very trainers from Pallet Town that beat him to Prof. Oak's lab that day was going to be his opponent. "Professor Oak, who is he?"

Oak was very serious again. "Ash, his name is Red."

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_I hope the cliffhanger doesn't bother anybody. As I said, I will update the story in one week. Again, thanks for your time, and please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Here it is. Chapter 2. As promised, I have updated in one week's time, and I hope this satisfies everybody's expectations after reading Chapter 1. Also, I would like to thank those who have followed, favorited, and reviewed my first story, as it is a great inspiration to keep going!_**  
**

_I do not own Pokémon or anything affiliated with the Pokémon franchise, and I am not affiliated with those that do own Pokémon._

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**Chapter 2**

"Didn't you leave the other day?" Misty cut to the chase after she and Brock exchanged obligatory greetings with Gary, who had just entered the Pokémon Center. He was the last person they expected to see after his loss in the tournament. Mrs. Ketchum never really spoke with Gary, so she just stood by and let them speak.

Gary suppressed his annoyance. "Yeah, I left. You saw me. Anyway, Grandpa gave me a call yesterday asking me to come back. He told me…"

"…that he had battled the trainer that Ash was going to battle tomorrow?" Gary and the others looked up in surprise to a smiling Prof. Oak, accompanied by Ash and Pikachu. "Why, yes I did. I thought it would be nice of Gary to tell us all about that brief encounter of his."

Gary gave a small smirk as he took a seat in one of the available chairs. "Yeah, I remember. Had no idea he was actually here, though. Then again, I don't remember him being exactly the loudest person around."

Ash was anxious to learn about his future foe, but he still had to ask, "Um, Gary? Not that I don't appreciate it and all, but why are you offering to help me?"

Unable to control himself, Gary let out a loud chuckle. "Why do you think? Gramps asked me to. Like I said, I didn't even know Red was here, though I can't say I'm surprised." Ash could tell that Gary must take this "Red" seriously.

Misty must have picked up on this. "Is he really that tough?"

"Of course he is, and not just because he's a finalist. I didn't just battle him and let that be the end of it. I've heard things about him. His battling styles, his Pokémon," he then turned to Ash, "I've even heard he's undefeated."

That hit Ash hard. It seemed like Gary was spelling out every reason why he wasn't going to win this. Even Pikachu started to look nervous. Picking up on this, Ash carried him up to the front desk and gave him to the Nurse Joy who was on duty at the time. Pikachu was overdue for treatment anyway.

Oak spoke up again. "Gary, would you please tell us what happened that day?"

Seeing that Ash had returned, Gary closed his eyes, trying to remember that day. "Yeah, I'll tell him. Just pay attention, Ash."

* * *

Gary had settled in the Viridian Pokémon Center, having healed his newly caught Nidoran, as well as his growing Squirtle. According to his Pokédex, the Nidoran was male, but he could already tell by its larger horn and violet skin. Truth be told, it felt a little early to have already caught another Pokémon, but not unexpected. He was still going to have the strongest Pokémon team of any trainer in Kanto.

Holding the Poké Ball that contained his new Pokémon, he was contemplating this Pokémon League challenge he's heard about, but it was then that he looked up and saw another trainer walk in. Gary instantly recognized him. The trainer that had made it to Prof. Oak's lab before Gary did. The one whom his grandfather said had chosen Charmander. The one he would have battled that day with Squirtle if that pajama-clad Ash hadn't cut him off on his way out. He remembered the name his grandfather told him yesterday. _Red_. He had just strolled into the Pokémon Center without saying a word. He went up to the front desk, and Nurse Joy simply gave him the Poké Ball he must have dropped off not too long ago. Charmander, no doubt. He must not have caught another Pokémon yet. Gary would have missed him if he hadn't been lucky enough to look up at that moment. He was clad in a red and white cap, as well as a matching red vest, but nothing that actually stood out. He could have been just about any trainer, really.

Still, this was Gary's chance. He couldn't catch up to him yesterday, but here he was, and he only had _one_ Pokémon. This was going to be easy.

Red tried to depart as uneventfully as he had entered, but Gary wouldn't have it. "Hey, Red!" Red, as well as everyone else who heard, paused and turned. He clearly wasn't expecting to be called out. Gary then got up and approached him confidently. "I saw you at the lab yesterday. You're the one with the Charmander, am I right?" Red nodded, beginning to see where he was going with this. "How would you like to battle our Pokémon and see a _real_ trainer in action?"

Red looked slightly puzzled, as if he wasn't sure he heard him right. It lasted only for a moment, however. Slowly, a small grin began to form on his face, and be reached for his sole Poké Ball. "Alright. Let's go."

"Just a minute, you two!" Nurse Joy cut in just as the words left Red's mouth. "This is a Pokémon Center, and I will not have any battling in here. If you must battle for whatever reason, I'm going to have to ask that you take it outside." The look on her face showed that she was _not_ kidding. Gary was clearly intimidated, as was just about everyone within an earshot.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," said Red, who then turned to Gary. "We were just making our way outside." Red led the way out for a reluctant Gary, still recovering from his scolding. Luckily for them, there was a nice clear spot in the east, without anyone to distract them. There were no buildings or other obstacles, just grass. They silently made their way out to the clearing, Gary not wasting a second.

"Okay, we doing this or what?" Gary wanted his match, and no one was going to interrupt him this time.

Red grasped his Poké Ball, ready for action. His voice was direct. "Yeah, let's do it."

In that instant, both Poké Balls were cast into the field, opening to reveal what was hidden within. Charmander vs. Nidoran. Nidoran was the newest addition, but Gary was going to finish off Charmander with Squirtle, so why not let Nidoran learn?

Red was the first to issue his command. "Charmander! Ember!" Charmander let out a burst of flame that very near seared Nidoran, but he was quick enough to dodge. "Keep at it! Ember!" Charmander continued the barrage, just waiting for Nidoran to slip up.

Gary needed to act. "Nidoran! Poison Sting!" Dodging the embers, Nidoran made his way through to launch poison from his horn. Still firing his Ember attack, Charmander was struck by the poison, but held his ground. Gary knew now that he had underestimated Red. With the lack of new Pokémon, he had assumed Red's Charmander was as inexperienced as his Nidoran. No matter, as Squirtle was more than capable. Meanwhile, he decided to continue exercising his Nidoran. "Horn Attack!" Nidoran attempted to strike, but Charmander was ready this time. He leapt out of the way before turning and dealing a heavy Ember to his unprepared foe. It was enough to win, as Nidoran hit the ground and fainted.

As Gary saw Nidoran on the ground, he was disappointed, but accepted the brief loss. Holding out the Poké Ball, he called his Nidoran back. He wasn't going to let this minor setback get to him. He knew he was still going to win. As experienced as this Charmander was, there was no way it was strong enough to win at an obvious type-disadvantage. He reached for his second Poké Ball. "Okay, Red, I'm afraid this match is over. Go, Squirtle!"

After the Poké Ball released the Water-type, Red looked on in concern. However, this wasn't unexpected to him. Gary had said he saw him at Prof. Oak's lab. Therefore, he picked the only Pokémon left, which, as far as he knew, was Squirtle. He had considered how to get around this disadvantage. Attacking full on with fire would be useless, at least right now. What Charmander needed was to get close.

Gary was ready to end this. "Squirtle! Bubble!" Squirtle obliged, firing a stream of bubbles aimed right at the Fire-type.

"Charmander! Smokescreen!" Charmander then launched a pillar of pitch-black smoke all over a surprised Squirtle. However, blinded as Squirtle was, his Bubble had just barely struck Charmander, but not by much. Charmander was still standing.

Gary didn't let up. "Keep going, Squirtle! Bubble!" Squirtle pressed the attack, firing stream after stream of bubbles, yet failing each time to strike this now-elusive Charmander, as he continued firing his smoke, making it impossible to see. Gary was getting sick of this. "That's it. Tackle attack!"

This was the chance Red needed. "Charmander! Scratch!" As Squirtle ran through the field of smoke, Charmander caught Squirtle and assaulted him with his claws. Squirtle literally had no idea what hit him. "Tackle!" Charmander then tackled Squirtle hard, sending him straight to the ground.

Gary was getting nervous. "Uh…Squirtle! Use Water Gun!" Squirtle gave it his best, but he was still very blind from the Smokescreen, and he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. At this point, he was a sitting duck.

Red gave his final command. "Ember!" Standing just before his foe, Charmander breathed in, then launched an enormous finishing blast of fire upon a vulnerable Squirtle. His type-advantage now proving useless, he fell before the fire attack.

Gary couldn't believe it. He had this battle won. His Pokémon was the stronger type. Red's Charmander was outnumbered. How did he lose? How _could _he lose? Who was this guy?

While Gary still tried to work this out in his mind, Red smiled at his victorious Pokémon, returning it to its Poké Ball. Gary didn't hear what he was saying. "I'm proud of you Charmander. This guy was right. We _did_ experience our first trainer battle." Red was tucking the ball into his belt with care when he remembered something. "Oh, wait. Kid!" Gary, returning his own Pokémon to its ball, realized he was being spoken to. "I forgot to ask. What's your name?"

Gary tried pushing his analysis out of his mind so he could answer. "Uh…Gary. Gary Oak."

Red smiled lightly. "Ah. Of course." Slowly and without another word, Red turned and made his leave. Gary watched as the trainer walked away, again trying to comprehend how he could have lost. Maybe Red did battle a few times before now. Or maybe he fought a lot of Pokémon on his way up here. Or maybe his Charmander was naturally that strong. After a minute, he realized that probably no one would ever answer these for him. From the looks of it, Red was off to his next destination. Perhaps the Pokémon League? Gary pushed the thoughts out of his mind.

"Whatever," he said to himself. "He got lucky, that's all. If we ever meet again, it'll be different." Either way, it would be a long time before another trainer managed to beat Gary. Meanwhile, Gary had business to attend to. He made his way back to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

Ash soaked in what he had just heard. By the way Gary and Oak talked about this guy, he knew he must have been tough. Pokémon won with type disadvantages all the time, albeit less often than not, but hardly ever that easily. The way Gary spelled it out, it seemed as if Red and his Pokémon were able to win effortlessly when the odds were clearly against them.

Oak broke the silence. "Thank you, Gary. That does help to give us an idea of what he's up against."

"Yeah, you're welcome, I guess." Gary looked like he wanted to leave. No one could blame him, though. After all, he had been made to describe his first loss, something he was sure he could leave in his past. This wasn't Ash's fault, he knew, but at this point, he just wanted to leave and make sure this was never brought up again.

"Ash," said Oak, "Gary covered how adaptable and cunning this trainer is in battle, but I believe I also know something of worth." Ash nodded, listening. "Whenever I first met Red, he was just about as eager as you were about getting his first Pokémon. Like you, he wanted to master the art of Pokémon training. There was one thing different about him, though, and I think it will definitely show in his battling style. You see…"

Oak paused as Nurse Joy returned with Ash's Pokémon. Pikachu looked one hundred times better than before, and it showed in his happy face. The others remained in their Poké Balls, and she set them down on the table they were at. "Your Pokémon are A-OK, Mr. Ketchum. It's good that you got them to us when you did. That must have been some fight earlier."

"You have no idea," Ash replied. "Thank you." The nurse smiled, letting them all return to their conversation, except for Brock, who almost swooned once again at the sight of Nurse Joy. He required Misty's forceful intervention to keep him focused on the conversation.

"Brock! This is serious!" Misty wished she could say that she couldn't believe Brock was this easily distracted. With the yank of his ear, she returned him to his seat. Ash sweatdropped at the sight, while Mrs. Ketchum giggled.

"As I was saying," continued Oak, "Red trains his Pokémon in a different way. When you began your journey after I gave you Pikachu, you were very vocal of your desire to catch all Pokémon in your quest to be a Pokémon master. When I gave him his Charmander, I told him how important it was to catch as many as he could to have a diverse and reliable team. As it turned out, he…disagreed." Now, Ash was curious. "I believe he thanked me for my input and said that he'd remember what I told him, but…he didn't believe in catching as many as he could. He explained to me that he had studied Pokémon and had come to see some of them as his favorites. He said that if he made sure his favorite Pokémon were on his team, he could focus more on training them and growing a stronger bond with them."

Brock began to see a pattern here. "If he tried to get as many Pokémon as he could, he would trade them in and out every now and then at different parts of his journeying. If he only has a select few that he always keeps with him, then they don't get switched for new ones regularly."

Misty also saw the implications. "Whichever Pokémon this trainer has must be very experienced. He's probably kept each of his Pokémon with him ever since it got caught."

Oak nodded. "Exactly." He turned to Ash, making sure he was making sense of all of this. "Ash, we're not telling you all of this to scare you or make you get into a last-ditch training regiment before tomorrow. I just want you to know what you're up against, because I think you _can _ win this. You're resourceful, and you've grown a powerful bond with your own Pokémon as well." Ash smiled at the flattery. "Remember, I'm the one who set both you and Red on your respective journeys to begin with, but you and Gary are the ones I've taken personal interest in. You both have great things ahead of you." Everyone then turned to Gary, suddenly receiving recognition again.

"Well, thanks Gramps. I don't know about Ashy-boy, but I know I'm destined for greatness. But wherever that is, it's obviously not here." His recent loss suddenly came to everyone's mind. "That being the case, I think I'll be on my way."

Oak smiled. "I'll let you get right to it, then. I do appreciate your assistance tonight."

"Yeah, alright. Smell ya later."

Attention lost focus as Gary got up and let himself out. Prof. Oak began to remember that day he gave Red his Charmander. Mrs. Ketchum was thinking about how to celebrate back home if Ash won the battle, or how to cheer him up if he lost, but she focused on the former. Brock considered the implications of such selective Pokémon training. Misty was concerned for Ash, hoping that there was a way she could provide any kind of assistance, even if it was just as a cheering section. Pikachu wondered what he was going to go up against tomorrow, hoping whatever Pokémon this "Red" had wouldn't be nearly as bad as Gengar was. He shuddered at the thought.

Ash had all of these factors in mind, and more. With what Prof. Oak and Gary had told him, he began building a picture of this character. Red started his journey at the same time that Ash had, so they were probably the same age. Whichever Pokémon he has, he's stuck with them all from the beginning, particularly Charmander (most likely Charizard by now), so they must be highly experienced. For that matter, he's been able to adapt to adverse circumstances from the very beginning, as evidenced by his battle with Gary, and he's most likely improved in that area. This info narrowed the gap somewhat, but it left so many variables open to question. He's stuck with essentially the same Pokémon his entire journey, so what Pokémon are they (besides Charmander)? Does he have a type-preference? So many questions swam through Ash's mind in that short time, but truth be told, it was much more than he knew in advance about the other trainers he's gone up against in this tournament. Prof. Oak certainly thought it was enough.

"Ash?" His train of thought was broken by Prof. Oak. "I'm going to be leaving now. I've told you everything I think you should know. Just remember, you _can_ win this."

"Okay. Thanks Professor."

As Oak left, Ash's mother hugged him, bidding him goodnight, as she had to leave also.

Ash then turned to his friends. Brock spoke first. "Well, it's getting late, so we were thinking we'd turn in now, too. You coming?"

"You guys go ahead. I think Pikachu and I need to be alone for a little bit." Ash needed Pikachu to know what they were both getting into. Brock understood, as he made his way to the back to his room, but Misty lingered for a moment, still holding a tired Togepi.

"Ash?" She first made sure he was listening. "I want you to know, I also think you can do this. You're a good trainer." A response almost came to his mind before Misty spoke up again. "Just promise me you'll do your best."

Ash saw how serious she was, so he stood and smiled warmly to her. "I promise, Misty."

Misty shared his smile. She then set Togepi down on the table with Pikachu and, realizing what she was doing this time, embraced Ash gently, provoking yet another blush from both trainers. "No matter what happens, I'll be rooting for you all the way, just like Brock, Prof. Oak, and everyone else. We'll always be right behind you."

While he hugged her back, a tear almost came to Ash's eye, knowing his friend was pouring her heart out for him. She was just about the best friend anyone could ask for. "Thank you, Misty."

Finally breaking away, Misty had finished saying her part. "Goodnight, Ash." As she picked up Togepi and made her way to her room, Ash sat back down on the couch next to Pikachu.

"We can beat this guy. Right, Pikachu?" The yellow mouse gave an enthusiastic "Pika-Pika," letting his master know he had faith in him. Ash grinned. "Thanks, buddy!" He embraced Pikachu, like so many times before, affirming the bond they shared after so many challenges and adventures. Ash doubted that Red could ever have the kind of friendship with his Pokémon that Ash had with Pikachu.

Meanwhile, the front doors audibly parted, but the two were having too much fun to notice at first. Then Ash's curiosity got the better of him. He looked over the couch to whoever came for the Pokémon Center's services. His facial expression began to sober as he looked upon the person who was obviously a Pokémon trainer. As he walked up to the desk, his eyes momentarily met Ash's, then parted again. He seemed to be hurrying.

Nurse Joy met him at the front desk. "I can see your Pokémon need a good rest, especially after that last fight. I don't play favorites in these tournaments, but I saw your battle on T.V., and I think you did beautifully." Ash thought he heard the trainer utter a thanks to her before she took his Pokémon to the back. As he now needed to wait for his Pokémon to heal, he turned to choose a spot among the various waiting areas in the Center to relax. It seemed that he was tired, probably because of that battle Nurse Joy mentioned.

_That battle Nurse Joy mentioned_. A battle that had occurred today and was on television. A battle that he seems to have won. In the semifinals. The facts fell into place for Ash in that moment.

Their eyes met again, but this time they didn't break away. The trainer seemed to read the sudden realization on Ash's face, and then he started to walk over. Ash rose to meet him, as did Pikachu, jumping up on Ash's shoulder. They then stood face-to-face.

Ash spoke up first. "Red?"

"…Yes."

Ash hesitantly extended his hand. "Ash."

The trainer smiled at the gesture and matched it with his own hand. "Red."

Red was essentially as Gary had described him. Red jacket, red and white cap, average looking, nothing flashy or out of the ordinary.

Ash chose to address the Kangaskhan in the room. "So, I guess we're battling tomorrow."

Red seemed to share in the awkwardness of the meeting. "I saw your picture on the bracket, so, yeah. I guess so." Both fully understood that by this time tomorrow, they would both be in what would probably be the most important battle of their lives thus far. "Listen, Ash, just one word of advice." Ash listened. "This match is going to require our best, and it's much easier to hold back when you're fighting someone you've become friends with. We owe it to ourselves and to our Pokémon to give it our all."

That statement caught Ash by surprise, but he knew he was right. After all, he knew this all too well from his battle with Richie just days before. "So this will be it then." It wasn't a question. Ash understood completely.

Red nodded. "Yes, as it should be. But good luck to you, Ash," he said with a small smile.

Ash smiled in acknowledgment. "Good luck to _you_, Red."

With that, Ash's future opponent returned to the desk, awaiting his own team. Ash eyed Pikachu, whose head was tilting slightly. "Bedtime, Pikachu?" Pikachu yawned, obviously too tired even to respond. Ash smiled even bigger. "Bedtime." Taking his beloved companion in his arms, he made his way to their room, perhaps ready for what awaited them. But a sudden thought hit Ash's mind, forcing him to turn around.

"Red?" The trainer leaning at the front desk turned his head in surprise. "Just one last thing." Red slowly nodded, growing curious. Ash hesitated for a moment. "…Are you really undefeated?"

A sly grin crept upon Red's face. "No."

* * *

_Nice ending, right? I know this chapter was a lot more plot than last time, but I had to keep the story going, so I hope you still enjoyed it. As always, if there are any comments or critiques, please feel free to leave a review. I will return with Chapter 3 in one week's time._


	3. Chapter 3

_As promised, I give you Chapter 3, on schedule. I would like to thank those of you who continue to motivate me by following/favoriting/reviewing my story. I appreciate it very much!_

___I do not own Pokémon or anything affiliated with the Pokémon franchise, and I am not affiliated with those that do own Pokémon._

* * *

**Chapter 3**

The next day, Red was ready. His Pokémon were rested and strong, he knew which he would start with, and he had gone through the battle in his mind a hundred times, at least. There was only one thing in his way: the fact that the battle was a good two hours away. He decided to use this last bit of time to clear his mind, and this seemed to be the perfect setting. The sky was bright and clear, the air was warm, and he was leaning over a bridge rail that overlooked a very beautiful river. He thought he could make out the hazy outlines of a Magikarp or Goldeen from time to time, but he didn't focus too hard on that.

He then remembered what happened last night. Entering the nearest Pokémon Center to rest his team, he ran into the last person he expected to see: his opponent, Ash Ketchum. After he won his match yesterday, he saw on one of the brackets that a trainer named Ash had advanced to the finals alongside him, but he had never seen him battle, or even met him for that matter. He only saw his picture on the bracket, which was how he recognized him, though it took him a second to do so at the Pokémon Center. He was running late getting his team there, after all.

It seemed that this "Ash" character was about as uncertain about this fight as he was, but that shouldn't have been so surprising, as this was going to be the final round of the Indigo League Championship. Ash was probably going through the same cycles of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty as he was. Honestly, before meeting him, he had pictured Ash as one of those arrogant, yet imposing masters of Pokémon, who would shake your hand, announce your imminent doom, then launch four or five Dragonites at you as if it was nothing. But the meeting settled _those_ worries. He even got a good laugh later after Ash asked if he was undefeated. The rumors people spread about him got so silly sometimes.

It was then that he noticed that someone was approaching him. Just then getting the smile off of his face, he turned to meet the person now standing at his left flank. It was Prof. Oak.

"Hello, Red."

"Hello, Prof. Oak."

Almost instinctively, they then shook hands as if they had been long-lost friends, reuniting at last. Silence pervaded momentarily, but it felt like nothing needed to be said.

Prof. Oak spoke anyway. "It's been a long time, hasn't it." Red nodded. "Caught anymore Pokémon since Charmander?"

Red smiled at his own upcoming response. "Ten." He paused for a moment. "Counting Charmander," he quickly added.

Oak smiled as well. "Well, it appears you didn't take my advice after all."

Red continued watching the river. "Is that a problem?"

Oak also looked out to the river as he thought of a good answer. He remembered how he stressed the importance of diversity of type and talent in the Pokémon world, but didn't mention much about how important it was to bond with his Pokémon, developing friendship and trust that would last forever. As it turned out, the latter was most important to Red, somewhat like Ash. "No, Red. That isn't a problem at all."

They stood in silence for a moment, but not much else needed to be said. They hadn't spoken since Prof. Oak first gave him Charmander, but Red seemed to be doing just fine anyway.

Oak broke the silence. "I told this to all of you when I gave you your Pokémon, but I still mean it when I say that you're destined for greatness. And now, it seems I was right."

Red returned his gaze to Oak. "Thank you, professor."

"Good luck, Red." With that, Oak departed, probably going to find a good seat at the stadium, where Red and Ash were going to battle in precisely…

Red checked his watch. One hour. _One hour._ It seemed it was time for Red to depart as well.

* * *

It was time for Ash and his companions to depart as well. Having just eaten lunch, they decided that, with one hour to go, it was time to head to the stadium. After all, there was no such thing as too early, was there?

Brock hurried to get alongside Ash and Pikachu. "Ash, just remember all that we went over last night, and you'll do fine. You'd at least put up a fight."

Misty cut in. "Prof. Oak believes in you. And so do we. Right, Brock?"

Brock gave a thumbs up. "Right!"

"Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu voiced his confidence. "Pi-Ka!"

"Right, Togepi?"

"Toge-briiii," trilled Togepi as she waved her arms around, again probably not understanding what was going on. This little show made Misty giggle.

Ash looked as confident as ever. "You're right, guys. I can win this!"

Before they knew it, they were at the Indigo Stadium, where it looked like people had been arriving since morning to find a good spot. Unfortunately, trainers weren't allowed to bring friends to the field in the Championship battle, so Ash and Pikachu had to go in alone while the rest waited in line, but they promised to cheer, which was all Ash wanted.

When Ash got to the front, a staff member led him inside to a special waiting area for trainers, where he was to stay until called to battle. It looked somewhat like a dimly-lit locker room, only scarcely-used and with walls covered in Pokémon from all over Kanto. He and Pikachu already looked ready for war. "Ready for this, Pikachu?"

Pikachu voiced his affirmation. "Pika-PIKA!" Ash grinned, then they waited for what seemed like hours.

* * *

It felt like hours to Misty and Brock as well, who were stuck in line. To them, the line seemed a mile long, at least. Luckily, there was an abundance of seats in the stadium, so it was just a matter of time before they made it to the front and were given their assigned locations…up in the nosebleeds. They sighed in exasperation, but accepted what they got. After all, the battle was going to be broadcast on the big screen above the stadium, so at least they were going to know what was happening. Of course, they had to maneuver through the crowd until they found their seats, which was no easy task. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the announcer. Brock wondered if Richie was having this much luck.

* * *

Meanwhile, Red had arrived at the stadium shortly after Misty and Brock had found their seats. He received the same treatment as Ash, except that he was escorted a waiting area on the opposite side of the stadium. He sat in one of the seats provided, a not-so-comfortable chair in a locker-room setting. It didn't bother him much, though. He took this time to go over his strategy in his head once again, and repeated until the announcer was heard.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, we are happy to have you at the final battle of the Indigo League Championship. That's right! We are in the finals! Which means that one of the two contestants we have today will go on with his unique Pokémon team to be crowned the Indigo League Champion, and be immortalized in the Pokémon Hall of Fame forever!_"

Ash and Red each listened from their respective locations. It sure was nice of the announcer to take some of the pressure off, they both sarcastically thought to themselves. Then staff members arrived at each room. Both were told, "Ash/Red, follow me." They obeyed, following the adults to each respective entrance of the battlefield, red and green.

"_First, we bring you the _red_ challenger_," the announcer emphasized "red" deliberately, "_The eleven-year-old prodigy from Pallet Town, Red!_" Red was then ushered through the gate, met with the abrupt applause and cheering of the entire stadium. It continued for some time, even after he had reached his stand.

"_Next, we bring you the green challenger, who is probably about as much of a match to the red challenger as you could get. Also the eleven-year-old prodigy from Pallet Town_," Red looked up at the second mention of Pallet Town, wondering if he missed something, "_Ash!_" Ash made his way through the gate and the admiration and support of those in the stands, receiving just as much applause as Red had. Red was still wondering how he missed that Ash was also from Pallet Town.

"_In just a few moments, these two trainers will summon their first Pokémon, and then the final battle of our tournament will begin! The rules are that each trainer is only allowed three Pokémon for this battle. They may be exchanged in between battles, but once three different Pokémon have been used, those three are the ones the trainer must continue using. Once one trainer defeats all three of the other's Pokémon, the battle will be over, and the Champion will be crowned. Now, ladies and gentlemen, this battle is now begun!_"

As the announcer finished his energetic speech, Ash and Red looked across the stadium to each other, locking eyes for the final time before the battle. In that moment, they cast their chosen Pokémon into the field, the crowd waiting in anticipation to see which would battle first. Both hit the ground at the same time, but Ash's opened first, releasing a bright light that immediately became physical form. Bulbasaur. It was then that Red's Poké Ball opened, allowing its Pokémon to take form as well. Eevee.

The crowd then cheered at what was to be the start of this epic contest. As the Pokémon approached the center of the field to begin the battle, Brock and Misty looked on in approval of Ash's choice. Ash had figured that Bulbasaur had the most experience of any of his other Pokémon, having served as guardian of that hidden Pokémon village before they had ever met. Of all his Pokémon, Bulbasaur would be the most adaptable to whatever Red chose first.

As it turned out, Red chose Eevee. _Ash will find out why I chose him_, Red thought to himself with a grin.

The announcer capitalized upon these new developments. "_It seems that it's going to be Bulbasaur vs. Eevee for our first round. Not the most intimidating of Pokémon, but we've seen amazing things here in the Pokémon League Championship, and in much smaller Pokémon. I'd say this is the beginning of something big!_"

Both of the Pokémon approached the center of the stadium, waiting for the referee's signal. Each trainer focused hard as he held each flag up, then brought them down.

"Bulbasaur! Vine Whip!"

"Eevee! Quick Attack!"

And quick he was, as Bulbasaur was struck before his vines could even be launched. He fell to his back, but got right back up, preparing his vines once more.

Red didn't hesitate. "Quick Attack! Keep going!" Eevee then struck Bulbasaur once more, evading his vines and knocking him even further back than before. Each time Bulbasaur rose to strike, Eevee attacked twice as fast.

This worried Ash, but then a thought came to mind. "Bulbasaur, back up! Keep him away!" Bulbasaur appeared to not understand, but he obeyed, quickly backing away from an advancing Eevee, warding him off with his outstretched vines. The battle was still pretty one-sided, but it was a start. At least Bulbasaur was keeping Eevee away.

Red wasn't deterred. "Keep it up, Eevee. It can't keep this up for long." With that, Eevee launched strike after strike of Quick Attack, each fought off by Bulbasaur's Vine Whip. But Bulbasaur was slowing down, and soon enough, Eevee would get through. Ash was counting on it. Sure enough, one of Bulbasaur's vines missed, and Eevee launched himself forward.

"Leech Seed!" In less than a second, Bulbasaur launched energy-draining seeds that attached themselves to a very unprepared Eevee. Eevee hurtled to the ground, effectively slowed down. Ash took advantage of the new development. "Now, Vine Whip!" Eevee tried to escape, but Bulbasaur then struck Eevee hard.

Red hadn't expected this. He actually would have been impressed if it wasn't for the importance of this battle. He needed to think quickly. However, Bulbasaur wouldn't let him. By the time Eevee could stand, Bulbasaur launched yet another Vine Whip. Red tried something completely different. "Eevee! Bite!" Eevee obliged, biting hard into one of the vines just before it found its mark. The sharp pain was too much for Bulbasaur, who instantly withdrew the vine in a quick reflex, which is exactly what Red had hoped for. "Skull Bash, now!" The vine that drew Eevee straight to Bulbasaur provided exactly the force that launched him head-first at the unsuspecting Grass-type. By the time Bulbasaur realized what was happening, it was too late. Eevee's Skull Bash made full contact with Bulbasaur, sending him flying backwards, much to Ash's surprise and amazement.

Red couldn't be happier. There was no way Bulbasaur could withstand that. In fear, Ash was thinking the exact same thing. Both of them looked on, seeing if Bulbasaur would get back up. They were joined by the now-silent crowd in the stands, especially Misty and Brock. Finally, the referee investigated. Bulbasaur stayed down, unmoving. He was out like a light. "Bulbasaur is unable to battle. This round goes to Red and his Eevee!"

The crowd applauded their victor, having just viewed a wondrous battle. As the announcer had promised, these two small Pokémon gave a spectacular performance. Ash, on the other hand, was less than pleased with the outcome, but he was still proud of his Bulbasaur, so he smiled warmly at his Pokémon as he returned him to his Poké Ball. Ash then began to consider his next Pokémon.

* * *

Misty and Brock viewed the outcome in concern for their friend. Misty spoke up first. "That Eevee was pretty strong, wasn't it? It doesn't look like Prof. Oak or Gary were kidding about this guy."

Brock maintained his calm composure. "Yeah, but Bulbasaur didn't go down easy. Eevee's pretty tired if you look closely." He was right. As Misty took a closer look, she saw that it was difficult for Eevee to stay standing. "If you ask me, I think Eevee's done for in the next round. Ash knows what he's doing. Bulbasaur is just the beginning." Misty knew he was right. She still believed in her friend. He could still win this.

* * *

The announcer spoke once the applause began to die down. "_Now, that was an amazing battle! It seems that Eevee had more than it took to bring down Bulbasaur, and it still has some energy left to spare. We now await what Pokémon Ash will…_" The announcer paused as he, as well as the rest of the audience, especially Red, looked upon the remaining Pokémon in the field. When the match ended, Eevee rested from battle, trying to let Leech Seed lose its effect. But now, as everyone had noticed, something changed about him. He began to look stronger and invigorated, standing more upright and seeming to bask in the strong sunlight. What happened next made everyone's mouth hang open. A bright glow completely enveloped Eevee, flowing through his entire form. He grew in size, his ears grew longer, and his tail grew much longer and forked in two. After a moment or two, the glow dissipated and allowed everyone to view Red's Eevee once more. Even from the stands, they could see that his Eevee was now pink in color, with a cat-like appearance and red mark on his forehead. Clearly, he had evolved.

The crowd was in complete silence. Mouths still hanging open, they looked on the new Pokémon in awe. Especially Red and Ash. After a few seconds, Ash took the initiative to pull out his Pokédex. "What…is that?"

The Pokédex answered. "Espeon, the Sun Pokémon. Espeon are able to read air currents allowing it to predict the future as well as its opponents' next moves."

The announcer finally spoke up. "_Amazing! It appears that in the bright sunlight, Red's Eevee managed to evolve into Espeon. I can say for sure that this has never happened here at the Indigo League Championship. In fact, I question whether or not many here have ever even seen an Espeon, it being a native of Johto. This is proving to be one fantastic bout, one that is sure to go down in Pokémon history!"_

Red was dumbstruck. It was safe to say that this was the last thing he had expected to happen. His Eevee had become an Espeon in the middle of the most important battle of his life. After the wonder wore off, he smiled widely. Ash was sure in for it now.

Ash knew it as well. He could have taken down Eevee in the next round, no problem, but now…he just didn't know. He had to find some way around this, or else he'll never be able to win this battle.

* * *

_I hope you liked the chapter, as well as the Gold/Silver/Crystal reference I threw in. As usual, I welcome reviews and sincerely hope you've enjoyed my fanfic thus far. I shall return in seven days._


	4. Chapter 4

_Given that tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I thought it would be appropriate to upload Chapter 4 one day early. Again, I would like to thank those who reviewed/followed/favorited my story this far, as it is very inspiring to me. If it would please the audience, I would also like to mention I have another story in progress that I will be working on after this one is finished._

_____I do not own Pokémon or anything affiliated with the Pokémon franchise, and I am not affiliated with those that do own Pokémon._

_____Insert more legal stuff here._

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Tension was in the air as Ash pondered which Pokémon to send out against Red's newly-evolved Espeon. Ash _loathed_ facing Psychic-types, ever since he fought Sabrina for the Marsh Badge. He barely knew of any Pokémon that had the advantage against them. It was times like this that Ash wished he had kept that Haunter.

There was no way Squirtle could stand up to a Psychic-type like that, and Kingler and Pidgeotto didn't seem to be any better an option. Pikachu might, but he didn't seem like a sure thing. Ash then considered Charizard. Maybe. It would be more likely that Red would afterward choose a Pokémon with a type-advantage, but it would definitely be more likely to bring down Espeon. Chances were, Red didn't have another Psychic-type, and Ash could work with that. His mind was made up.

* * *

"Popcorn! Soda! Get it while it's hot! Or cold!" The vendors were calling out a storm, advertising their product to a ravenous audience. Admittedly, the excitement of this battle of titans did work up an appetite, and business was good. They were pleased with their success.

"Jesse, they really respond to us. We should have taken up honest work a long time ago!" James exclaimed, currently providing sodas for an entire family.

"For once, I agree. The pay is great, no attention from the authorities, and, best of all, no sign of…" She stalled as she realized she was standing in front of two very familiar faces: the twerps, Brock and Misty.

The long, red hair caught Brock's attention. "Don't we know you from somewhere?"

James interjected. "Of course, not! It's our first day!"

Misty looked insulted. "We know it's you, Team Rocket. Don't bother trying to hide it."

Seeing no reason to hide anymore, Meowth emerged from the compartment in the side of the cart. "Okay, looks like you caught us. Can't we just pretend that this never happened? We ain't doing anything wrong, are we?"

Brock and Misty exchanged glances. "Well," began Misty, "Why are you here, anyway?"

Team Rocket sweatdropped. "Listen, we're trying to make an honest dollar for once, and we don't want any trouble. Besides, it seems your friend is already occupied enough down there without us," said Jesse, looking more sympathetic than usual.

Meowth cut it. "Yeah. Besides, we're four chapters in, and this story is way too serious. We desperately need some comic relief."

Jesse glared at him, clearly annoyed. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop pretending to break the fourth wall? This isn't a cartoon or something."

Meowth smiled even wider. "You're absolutely right. This _ain't_ a cartoon."

Jesse sighed. Meanwhile, they were getting more and more calls for snacks, and some of them were sounding impatient. Brock spoke up. "Okay, Team Rocket. If you don't try to cause trouble tonight, we'll pretend we never saw you."

Each of the three raised their right hand. "Scout's honor!" They then ran off to appease the appetites of their waiting customers, seeming to move faster than a teleporting Abra. Brock and Misty chuckled at the sight.

* * *

Back on the field, Ash held his chosen Pokémon in his hand. He hesitated before throwing the Poké Ball out into the field, acknowledging that this was a serious gamble, but given the circumstances, this was probably the best choice he had.

He arched his arm back and cast the Poké Ball into the field. "Go, Charizard!" True to his word, Charizard soon materialized in the field, suddenly the center of everyone's attention, more so than Espeon.

"_Ash doesn't seem to take these new developments lightly. He has gone straight for the throat and chosen Charizard, perhaps his strongest Pokémon, but who am I to say? It looks like Ash has something special planned before this match is over. Either way, it seems all too clear that he wants that Espeon gone!_"

It was true, and Red knew that. He suddenly feared for his Espeon's safety. As powerful as it was, a Charizard is a Charizard, no matter how you look at it. But he tried to think past that. Ash just sent out one of his strongest Pokémon, if not _the_ strongest, and Red hadn't lost any yet. This just may work to his advantage if he played his cards right.

By the time he finished his thought, the two Pokémon met in the middle of the stadium, awaiting the referee's signal. His flags raised, then fell.

"Espeon! Psychic!"

"Charizard! Fly!"

Espeon launched a powerful wave of psychic energy at Charizard, but missed, as Charizard had already taken to the air. He tried again, only to miss once more. Seeing an opportunity, Charizard swung down from the air to launch a quick Flamethrower, just barely missing, as Espeon dodged just as quickly. As Espeon didn't attack again at the moment, Charizard arched himself around for another shot.

Red saw his own opportunity. "Confusion!" Another wave of psychic energy was fired at Charizard, albeit less effective, but accurate enough to strike its target. Charizard was knocked off of his flight path, flipping and rolling until he reached the ground, but managed to land on his feet on the other side of Espeon. He had no signs of serious damage.

Ash acted fast. "Smokescreen!" Obeying, Charizard launched a thick cloud of smoke that surrounded Espeon.

Before it became too permeated, Red shouted, "Deflect!" Espeon then mentally formed an invisible wall around himself. In a circular area that was only a few feet in diameter, with Espeon in the center, there was no smoke. However, that didn't stop the cloud from enveloping around the shield, still clouding Espeon's view beyond the safe zone. This still worked to Ash's advantage. With the cloud of smoke, Espeon couldn't see Charizard. However, Red still could.

Ash acted first. "Charizard, Flamethrower!" Aiming at the exact center of the cloud, Charizard launched a pillar of fire upon Espeon's Deflect. However, the cloud was so thick, they still couldn't see how it affected Espeon or his shield. Charizard repeated the attack, with similarly unknown results.

Red decided to perform a test. "Espeon! Psybeam!" Just then, a strong glow emanated from within the cloud, then a strong beam of energy was launched from within, missing Charizard completely. "Forty-five degrees to your right! Psybeam!" Sure enough, the same attack emerged, but aimed in the right direction. Cutting through the continuing Flamethrower, the Psybeam struck Charizard directly, knocking him clear backwards into the ground. Seeing that Charizard was struggling to get up, Red called out to his Pokémon, "Espeon, try to get out of there!" Those who were close enough could see some movement within the large cloud, some of the smoke having cleared by now, but Espeon didn't seem to find a way out of it. No one else saw, but within the cloud, Espeon was succumbing to the effects of Leech Seed, afflicted previously by Ash's Bulbasaur. He was growing too weak to move too quickly, and would soon be too weak to even attack. At the same time, Charizard made his way back to his feet, ready for more action.

Noticing this, Ash called out, "Charizard! Fly, then Flamethrower!" The dragon then launched itself from the ground above the cloud, trying to spot the movement of his enemy.

"Espeon, directly above you! Confusion!" Espeon obeyed, but missed. Charizard then launched his Flamethrower at the source of the attack. At the same time, shot after shot of Confusion was shot out, but missed each time. Charizard then let up on his Flamethrower.

Ash then decided to take a shot in the dark, literally. "Fire Blast!" Charizard breathed in, then launched a huge kanji of fire straight into the center of the fading cloud. Espeon couldn't be seen clearly, but Ash was certain that he heard the Pokémon cry out after that last attack. "One more time! Fire Blast!" Once more, Charizard launched its fire straight into the center of the cloud. This time, Espeon's cry was clearly heard by both trainers.

Red became scared. "Confusion!" But this time, there was no attempt. The implications became clear to everyone just as the smoke was almost cleared. Before Charizard, who had now grounded himself, lay Espeon, overcome by the Fire Pokémon.

The referee saw this and raised the green flag. "Espeon is unable to battle. This round goes to Ash and his Charizard!"

The crowd then cheered loudly, impressed by Charizard's practical domination of the battle. Charizard also relished the crowd's attention, more so than his own master's praise, but there was no surprise there. Red seemed upset at his newly-evolved Pokémon's loss, but then returned his Espeon to his Poké Ball.

"I'm proud of you," he paused for emphasis, "_Espeon_." He was still excited about the fact that his Eevee had evolved mid-battle.

"_Well, wasn't that an exciting battle! Things sure are _heating up_ in this contest! It seems that Espeon was quite the powerful Pokémon, but had simply been slowed down too much in its previous battle with Bulbasaur. And with such a battle-hardened Charizard as its opponent, its new evolution simply wasn't enough. Each trainer now has an equal number of Pokémon left in reserve, and this just goes to show that, right now, this battle is anyone's for the taking._"

Red calculated his next move. Charizard's victory didn't ruin his strategy, at least not in a major way. He had no way of knowing Eevee would evolve, and he had expected him to be defeated in the second round anyway. Though, he didn't expect Ash to choose Charizard. It didn't matter either way. Red still had a Pokémon that would bring Charizard down easily. How many trainers could say that?

A sure look on his face, Red grasped his Poké Ball, predicting Charizard's imminent demise. In one swift motion, he arched back, and launched the Poké Ball into the arena. Everyone watched as the ball hit the ground, opened, and allowed the new competitor to take form.

Blastoise.

The crowd went nuts. It wasn't often that someone saw two of the most powerful Pokémon in Kanto in battle for the Championship. Ash was less than enthusiastic. He figured that Red probably had a Pokémon that was strong against fire, but a _Blastoise_? That was essentially as much overkill as was Charizard on a weary Espeon. But Ash pushed his fears aside as the Pokémon approached the center of the stadium. If he couldn't hope to defeat Blastoise, he could at least hope to weaken it.

Once the Pokémon reached the center, the referee gave the signal, and the battle was on. Without missing a beat, Ash called out, "Charizard! Fly!" Charizard then rose to the sky, circling the stadium.

"Blastoise! Water Pulse!" At Red's command, Blastoise launched water from its shell cannons at an amazing force, aiming straight at the dragon, but Charizard was too far away to be an easy target. Charizard quickly came back around to fire a Flamethrower at the giant turtle, but the direct hit meant nothing.

* * *

Up in the stands, Misty and Brock continued looking on, optimistic about this fight. A question came to Misty's mind. "Brock, I've been thinking about something." Brock turned to listen. "It may be nothing, but why is Charizard this cooperative? More often than not, he completely ignores Ash."

Brock answered quickly. "I've thought about that, too. I think it's because of how well Ash has been doing in the competition. You see, the reason a Pokémon would be uncooperative with its trainer would be that the trainer is cruel or incompetent. It seemed that Charizard didn't respect Ash the way his other Pokémon did. However, the fact that they're in the final round of the Pokémon tournament may mean something for the both of them. After all, incompetent trainers don't make it this far."

Misty began to understand. "So, you think Ash has won Charizard's respect?" The words sounded weird when put together like that.

"It's probably a start, at least. It takes a lot to make a change like that."

That having been straightened out, they returned their attention to the match, which seemed to have been picking up, as Charizard had launched a Fire Blast that knocked Blastoise back a few steps.

* * *

Red was getting annoyed. He wasn't going to get anywhere with Charizard in the air. He needed it to get close and time it just right for a hit.

On the opposite end, Ash just hatched a plan. As he saw Charizard moving back in for another hit, he shouted, "Smokescreen!"

Red had anticipated this. "Use Mist, Blastoise!" Almost simultaneously, the two giants fired their respective clouds into the air. The mist and smoke seemed as if they were fighting for control of the air, but both eventually mixed into a cloud of haze. It wasn't as easy to see, but the outlines of each Pokémon were still distinct to each other, and the haze was dying quickly.

_So much for that plan_, Ash thought to himself, but it was worth a shot. Maybe it only worked last time because Espeon was already too weak to react.

Red decided to try a plan of his own. "Blastoise! Hydro Pump! Soak the entire field!" Blastoise then targeted his cannons at the stadium floor, launching powerful water jets that briefly flooded the entire field, almost reaching the trainers on their stands. Even the referee had to retreat to his own stand for this.

This complicated things even further for Ash. Charizard couldn't fly forever, and if he hit the ground now, he would be finished. But Ash didn't give up. If he had to keep Charizard airborne, he would just have to make it count.

"Charizard, use a Flamethrower on Blastoise in passing!" Charizard quickly circled around the arena, picking up speed as he began his drive-by attempt on his opponent. Blastoise responded with another Water Pulse, but Charizard swerved out of the way just in time to send a rocket of fire straight into Blastoise's side, causing him to lose his balance momentarily.

"Now, Fire Blast!" As Charizard circled around Blastoise, he launched yet another kanji upon him before he could regain his footing. The force of the strike sent Blastoise to the ground. He laid there for a moment, but after a few seconds, he was able to slowly lift himself back up. As strong as the blast was, it meant little against a Water-type of Blastoise's caliber.

Red grew irritated, but chose to maintain patience. All was going as it should. Charizard had a lot of flare, but he was getting tired, and with the stadium still soaked, his defeat was imminent.

Ash realized this as well. He knew Charizard, and he was getting too tired to fly. He predicted his fall as well, but realized that if he was going down, now would be his last chance to inflict some lasting damage on Blastoise. As Charizard once again circled around Ash's side of the stadium, he called out, "Charizard, fly straight into him and hit him with a Fire Blast! Give it everything you've got!" Charizard seemed to hesitate at the command, staying on his current path, but ultimately obeyed his master, as he circled the arena once more, picking up speed, then launched himself on a collision course with his foe. As he did, he began building up energy in the back of his throat, preparing a nasty blast of fire that was going to leave a serious mark.

Blastoise detected this, by the way he began to brace himself for impact. Red knew as well. Thinking quickly, it thought of the best way to bring Charizard down. "Hydro Pump!" Blastoise aimed his cannons and fired straight at the dragon once more, finally striking his flank, but he ultimately got out of the way again. Red screamed his command once more. "Aim for it! Hydro Pump!" As Charizard neared, fire in his mouth, Blastoise aimed his cannons one last time. He wasn't going to miss this time. Neither would Charizard. At the last second, both of these giants of Kanto fired at each other with the strongest attacks representative of their respective types. Charizard launched the Fire Blast at Blastoise, dead center, before Blastoise launched a devastating Hydro Pump at the Fire-type, also dead center. Charizard flew backwards to Ash's side of the stadium (involuntarily, this time), crashing hard into the ground, and Blastoise fell backwards, unable to keep his balance. For a brief moment, both Pokémon seemed incapacitated. Then, slowly, the Water-type picked himself back up, regaining his balance and standing upright, albeit covered in ash and burn marks, but still standing strong.

Charizard was not so lucky. He lay in front of Ash's stand defeated at the hands of his type's strongest weakness. The referee didn't need to look any further. He raised the red flag. "Charizard is unable to battle. This round goes to Red and his Blastoise!"

As if on cue, the audience roared with applause for Red, as well as for the battle itself, two of the strongest Pokémon in Kanto fighting to the finish. "_What a spectacular show of strength! Charizard endured as long as he could, but Blastoise's water-based attacks were just too much for the Fire-type. With this round gone, Ash is down to one last Pokémon. Let's hope for his sake that he has something that can turn this fight around._"

As the announcer carried on, Ash returned Charizard to his Poké Ball. He knew Charizard had little chance of victory, but he still had trouble accepting the loss. He murmured a sincere "Thank you" to Charizard before putting him back in his belt. As the crowd continued to cheer, he started to make the important decision of whom to send into the battle. Surprisingly, the answer was obvious. Kingler, Squirtle, and Pidgeotto wouldn't stand a chance against that Blastoise, so it would be suicide to send them out. The only one left was Pikachu, and he had the type advantage. There was also more power in the electric mouse than met the eye. He's surprised everyone with his power on more than one occasion. The choice was clear then.

Meanwhile, Red relished in his victory while he could. He predicted that Ash would have some kind of Pokémon that was strong against Water-types, so he thought ahead as to what Pokémon he would choose should Blastoise lose. Pikachu would be an obvious guess, but maybe he had another Grass-type, or maybe something neutral to water. Either way, he had Pokémon to account for each possibility. Truthfully, he wanted it to be interesting.

Before sending out his friend, Ash knelt down for a little pep talk. "Pikachu. I know you can do this. You're strong, and you can take down Blastoise, no problem. And whatever Red sends out afterward, you can take it. Do you trust me?"

Pikachu nodded strongly. "Pika-Chu!" Ash smiled and hugged his friend, both of them realizing that these next couple of rounds was going to be the most important of their lives.

Ash then stood, looking straight at Red, then at Blastoise. "I choose you, Pikachu!" In a speed that would make a Rapidash proud, Pikachu bolted out into the field, ready for action. Ash's third Pokémon. His last chance at victory.

"_He chose Pikachu! Ash Ketchum has selected Pikachu as his third and final Pokémon against Red's Blastoise and whichever Pokémon he has left in reserve. This looks to be an interesting bout, as we've seen what his Pikachu has been able to do. And now it has the type-advantage! I'm sure none of us can wait for _this_ round to start._"

* * *

"He chose Pikachu," Misty instantly exclaimed. "He sent Pikachu against Blastoise. What is he thinking?"

Brock maintained his composure. "He seems to be thinking that Pikachu is the only Pokémon he has that can take down that Blastoise with enough energy left to take on Red's third Pokémon. I'd say this is actually a smart move on Ash's part. And let's not forget, the stadium is still soaked from the last round."

Misty realized that he was right. The entire stadium was essentially one large conducting rod. Luckily, the water stayed on the floor. She would hate to see Pikachu shock any spectators.

* * *

"He chose Pikachu?" James tried to make sense of the new developments while he should have been serving the spectators their snacks.

"What did you expect, James? This is his final Pokémon in the final battle of the Pokémon League. The twerp had to use it eventually," said Jesse, rather matter-of-factly.

Meowth spoke under his breath. "Take it from me, Blastoise. This is gonna hurt."

James looked on in anticipation. "Is it wrong to root for Pikachu?"

* * *

_He chose Pikachu_, Red thought to himself. Blastoise might be in for it now. Pikachu weren't the strongest of Pokémon, but Ash wouldn't send one in unless he had confidence in it. Then again, maybe Blastoise can bring it down. He of all people knew that Pokémon could win with a type-disadvantage.

Both Pokémon approached the center of the stadium, and the referee once again gave the signal.

"Pikachu! Agility!"

"Blastoise! Ice Beam!"

By the time Blastoise had launched his ice-attack at Pikachu, he was already gone. In fact, he was clear on the other side of Blastoise, who was still looking for him. Almost instinctively, Ash yelled out, "Thunder!" At that moment, sparks surged from Pikachu's body, then a rain of lightning crashed down upon an unsuspecting Blastoise. The bolt of lightning lasted only a moment, but Blastoise stood there, paralyzed, for a good three seconds before falling backwards onto the soaking wet ground, also coursing with electricity. Pikachu had to scurry out of the way before Blastoise hit the ground. The referee was at the scene a second later. Upon inspection, he was about to raise the green flag, when Blastoise suddenly began stirring again. It took a few seconds, but, to everyone's amazement, he was back on his feet.

When the shock faded from Red's face, he then commanded, "Water Pulse!" Blastoise tried, but Pikachu was still too quick, once again racing to his other side before the attack even came close. "Again! Water Pulse!" It was no use. Pikachu was far too quick.

A grin grew on Ash's face. "One more should do it, Pikachu! Thunder!" Even more quickly than before, Pikachu brought down a clash of lightning upon the Water-type. One more was enough, indeed, as Blastoise fell hard, face-first. He was down for good, and the referee knew it. He raised the green flag.

"Blastoise is unable to battle. This round goes to Ash and his Pikachu!"

For once the crowd was in silent awe at the sight of a Blastoise being felled so quickly. But it only lasted for a moment, as a joyous uproar rose from the stands for the victorious mouse. Ash was thrilled as well, shouting his own praise to his Pokémon.

"_Well, that was quick, wasn't it?! It's hard to believe what we just saw, but Blastoise has been brought down by Pikachu! Looks like size isn't everything, after all! There is definitely some strong stuff in that small Pokémon!_"

Red was shocked, no pun intended. Thoughts swarmed through his head, telling him that this didn't happen. _There was no way Blastoise could have gone down that easily. Even for an electric type, Pikachu can't be that strong. Except…never mind_. He knew perfectly well Pikachu could be that strong.

"_We are now just moments away from our final round of the battle. With each trainer having only one Pokémon left, this round will determine who will be the Indigo League Champion! And by the looks of it, this is going to be one for the history books! We now wait for the Pokémon that Red will choose for this legendary battle!_"

_Gee, thanks for taking the pressure off, again_, Red thought after hearing that speech. But he was right. The Pokémon Red chose was going to determine whether or not he becomes Champion. He already lost Eevee (or Espeon, rather) and Blastoise. He hoped he'd be able to use Charizard, but, like Blastoise, he was weak against electricity. Maybe under other circumstances, but this was the Championship. It wasn't worth the risk. Snorlax wasn't weak against electricity, but he wasn't resistant, either. Pikachu's speed and power would make quick work of him. Ivysaur was electricity-resistant, but with that kind of speed, it may not make a difference. If he was a Venusaur, maybe he would last long enough. That only left one option. He didn't need to think about it anymore. As before, without saying a word, he pulled out his final Poké Ball and cast it into the fray. Inside was a Pokémon both resistant to Pikachu's electricity and a match for its speed. A Pokémon that was powerful in its own right. A Pokémon that could win. The Poké Ball opened, bringing forth Ash's final obstacle, and Pikachu's opponent.

Pikachu.

* * *

_I hope those few battles entertained your eager minds for this week. I will return very soon for the fifth and final chapter, so be prepared!_


	5. Chapter 5

_And this day I bring you...the final chapter of _The Greatest Master of Them All_! First, I would like to say that I already decided who would win before I began this story, and I noticed that some of you wanted Red to win and some of you wanted Ash, so I hope that those whose guy doesn't win are still satisfied with the ending. Enjoy!_

_I do not own Pokémon or any characters and stories officially associated with the franchise, and I am not affiliated with those that do own Pokémon._

_Insert more legal stuff here._

* * *

**Chapter 5**

The Championship battle had been going on for about an hour now. The sky was getting dark, the air was getting cool, and you could cut the tension with a knife. In the stands sat thousands of Pokémon fans, looking on in sheer anticipation of the upcoming battle that would decide this tournament.

Ash vs. Red. Pikachu vs. Pikachu.

"_This is certainly unexpected. We wondered how they were going to follow up that battle between Charizard and Blastoise, and here we have it. It is a rare sight to see two of the same kind of Pokémon fighting for the championship, and if Red's Pikachu is anywhere near as strong as Ash's, then this is going to be one amazing battle!_"

Strong was right. Pikachu was the strongest Pokémon Red had, and under these circumstances, he was Red's best choice. He honestly never foresaw this scenario when he pictured himself battling Ash, but he still smiled at the sheer irony.

Ash couldn't help but smile, too. He had to admit that this battle was going to be interesting, but he also knew that soon enough, it would stretch him to his limits in his effort to win.

The crowd looked on ravenously, waiting for the final battle to begin. Misty and Brock looked to Ash's Pikachu, having faith that he was up to the challenge. Team Rocket looked back and forth between the Pikachus greedily, thinking that they were seeing double.

It seemed like forever as the two Pikachus walked to the center to begin. It allowed Ash and Red to examine each other's Pokémon. Red's Pikachu seemed bigger and older, and also had a small cut in his right ear. His face reminded Ash of Lt. Surge's Raichu. Compared to Red's, Ash's Pikachu was slightly smaller and appeared younger, but looked much more agile. To the lay observer, however, they would seem identical. They certainly did to most of the crowd as they finally met in the center of the field. The battle was just seconds away. You could hear a pen drop in the silence.

The referee's flags went up, then down.

"Pikachu," the two trainers yelled in unison, "Quick Attack!"

It took a sharp eye to discern what was happening when each Pokémon began. Truly, it was almost impossible to see. In science class, you learn about how in an atom, each electron is so fast that it is essentially everywhere at once. That comes close to what it was like to see each Pikachu trying to get the edge over the other. Like an Abra teleporting all over the field or a bolt of lightning coming down from the sky, they struck and dodged each other everywhere at once, multiple times in a manner of seconds. If Red and Ash didn't know them each so well, they probably wouldn't have been able to tell which was which.

* * *

"So…which is the twerp's again?" James tried his hardest to follow what was happening, to no avail.

"That one! The smaller one. On the left…or the rig…whichever," Jesse replied, giving up almost immediately.

"I sees him," Meowth said to no one in particular. "Hasn't been hit yet, I can tell ya that much."

* * *

Brock and Misty, on the other hand, could tell at times which Pikachu was theirs, but they resorted to looking at the big screen above the stadium, as they couldn't see the small Pokémon from their height.

"Brock, they look pretty evenly matched, don't they?" Misty watched the two Electric-types trading blows that still had yet to strike.

Brock analyzed the battle in his mind. "Have you ever seen two cats fight?" Misty shook her head. "A lot of the time, it looks like they're standing still and doing nothing, when in reality, they're waiting for the other to show any sign of weakness. But oftentimes, they're quite evenly matched, so it has to be even the smallest of errors that need to be capitalized on. I think we're seeing that right now. As soon as one of those two loses his step or doesn't jump high enough, we're going to see some fighting."

* * *

Red had faith in his Pikachu. The two of them must have battled together a hundred times before, at least. His Pikachu has learned initiative after all this time. Red knew that once Pikachu's enemy slipped up, he wouldn't need any commands to capitalize.

Ash understood the situation as well. He knew they were locked in a delicate balance of power that could be interrupted at any moment. He didn't want to risk his Pikachu losing his share of the balance by calling out to try a new strategy. Whatever Pikachu was doing now was working, so Ash just had to wait.

Ash's Pikachu had just charged after Red's, but he leapt sideways, leaving plenty of room between them. As Ash's bulleted past, Red's immediately ran after him, but Pikachu jumped overhead just in time. The instant he landed, he pounced after Red's, who had stopped himself just short of where Ash's was, and tackled him to the ground.

Ash had waited for this. "Pikachu! Slam!" Ash's Pikachu then lifted Red's above his head, and slammed him into the ground. However, he landed feet first, grabbed hold of Ash's Pikachu, and threw him clear across from him. Ash's Pikachu landed on his feet as well, unharmed. The entire act took less than two seconds.

For the briefest of moments, the two stood still. Ash changed this. "Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Pikachu then launched a powerful bolt of electricity at his foe.

Red reacted instantly. "Quick Attack!" In a flash, his Pikachu was gone, and then struck Ash's from the side, sending him sliding into the ground. However, he caught some of the shock from Ash's Pikachu's body in the middle of the Thunderbolt attack, but only slightly. Red's Pikachu's muscles were contracting, but he was able to stay up. Ash's Pikachu had just gotten back up.

Ash saw his chance. "Quick Attack!" His Pikachu went straight after Red's, and struck him head on, as he hadn't recovered from the shock from Ash's Pikachu's body. "Slam!" Ash's Pikachu then lifted up his opponent, and this time, he succeeded in throwing him to the ground.

"Pikachu! Get up!" Red's Pikachu was hurt, but he still managed to stand. It was going to take more than that to take him down.

Ash knew this as well. "Thundershock!" Pikachu launched a weaker, yet faster bolt of electricity at his enemy.

"Agility!" Red's Pikachu then practically disappeared, and the Thundershock struck empty ground. Ash's Pikachu sighted his foe again, then launched another strike, but it was also too slow. He tried a third time, but then Red's Pikachu went clear around him before the attack was even launched. "Body Slam!" Ash's Pikachu was then struck from above, as Red's had attacked him and pinned him to the ground.

"Thunder!" Ash's Pikachu recognized his master's voice, and in a loud cry, brought down the largest bolt of lightning Ash ever saw. Even Red doubted that he saw one that impressive, but his expression was more one of fear than of wonder. In a mere second, Red's Pikachu caught the full force of the attack. Everyone in the audience looked on in shock and awe, watching the receiving Pikachu roll over, still sparking from the attack. However, Ash's Pikachu also caught some of the shock, as Red's hadn't blocked it off completely. Momentarily, they were both down, but Red's Pikachu looked worse.

Red couldn't control himself. "Pikachu!" He didn't seem to hear him. The referee had to step in to investigate. As he checked, Ash's Pikachu stirred first. Slowly, he lifted himself back up, but still lacked balance. At the same time, Red's Pikachu began to stir, but had a more difficult time of it. Eventually, they both got back up on their feet.

Ash yelled first. "Quick Attack!"

Red followed right after. "Double Team!"

It took Red's Pikachu a moment, as he was still paralyzed from the Thunder. This allowed Ash's Pikachu to get close with his own attack. As he made contact, Red's Pikachu disappeared. Ash's Pikachu was now surrounded by clones of his foe, as his Double Team had succeeded.

Ash got an idea. "Pikachu! Use Shock Wave! Wipe them out until you find him!" Pikachu then brought down yet another surge of electricity upon his enemy, but this one was so permeated, it couldn't be avoided. Slowly, each clone was struck and vanished. A moment passed until one was left. He was weak and didn't look like he would last much longer. "Now, Pikachu! Headbutt!" Pikachu then charged after his foe headfirst. It looked like it would finish him off.

The Pikachu vanished. It was another clone.

Red then yelled, "Headbutt!" This caught both Ash and Pikachu by surprise. They didn't have time to react, as Ash's Pikachu was struck from behind instantly by Red's, sending him hurtling to the ground. No one saw Red's Pikachu until he struck.

"Pikachu!" Ash called out to his friend, who began to get back up, but he was hurt badly.

Red got a serious look in his eyes. "Alright, Pikachu! Finish him off! Thunder!" With a loud cry, Red's Pikachu summoned a massive lightning strike that hit Ash's dead-center. After the lightning strike vanished a half-second later, Ash's Pikachu lay there, electricity emanating from his body, his muscles contracted and he was unable to get up. After a few seconds, he stopped moving.

The referee raised the red flag. "Ash's Pikachu is unable to battle. This round, and the final battle, goes to Red and his Pikachu!"

Ash didn't even notice the cheering crowd as he ran up to his Pikachu, scooping him up in his arms and carrying him back to his own side. "Are you okay, Pikachu?" He opened his eyes and gave a faint "Pika" in response, but he still looked like he needed a Potion if he was going to get back up.

* * *

Misty and Brock looked to Ash as he carried his Pokémon, then to each other. The looks on their faces betrayed concern for their friend.

"He lost," started Misty, pointing out the obvious.

Brock was silent for a moment, then responded. "We should go see him." Misty nodded. "Well, we better go now. It's going to take forever to get down there."

* * *

Team Rocket was incredulous. They just stared blankly at the field, having seen the Pikachu that they swore to capture lose at the hands of the new Champion.

"It…lost." That was all James could say after that amazing battle.

"So it did." Jesse shared his disbelief, wondering how it could have lost. But she saw no reason to get too attached to the situation. "Well, we have jobs to do if we're going to get paid."

Meowth perked back up. "Yeah. Come on! Let's…" He was cut off as they turned in unison, right into the glare of an Officer Jenny. "I mean, uh…Meowth?" Meowth grinned nervously.

"Oh, uh, hello, Officer, uh, Jenny. Can we get you something? Hungry? Thirsty?" James appeared to be displaying everything on the menu in both of his hands.

"I would, but I'm on duty. I got a call, telling me that Team Rocket was here, disguised as vendors at the Championship battle, and then I ran into you." There was no fooling her.

Jesse grabbed everyone by the collar. "Well I hope you find them and bring them in before they cause any trouble and ruin this fight and good luck well we have to go bye-bye!" She bolted off with her team after that run-on speech, leaving Officer Jenny, who then darted after them.

* * *

Red returned his Pikachu to his Poké Ball. Ordinarily, he would have thanked him in person, but he could barely stand at the moment. He needed his rest.

Meanwhile, he looked to the audience that cheered his name. It took a minute for that one vital fact to soak in. He was their new Champion. He had won.

"_And there goes the battle! In a truly _electrifying _show of ability, Red's Pikachu has defeated Ash's, which means that not only has Red won the battle, but now he is also the Indigo League Champion! We have a winner, ladies and gentlemen. This contest is over! But don't leave yet, folks. We have a special guest arriving momentarily. Red, stay where you are! And congratulations!_"

Red was surprised, but obeyed the voice from the announcer's box. He decided to continue enjoying his victory. He actually won the Indigo League Championship! All of his hard work had paid off. He was proud of himself. He was proud of his Pokémon.

After a minute, a spotlight appeared from one of the stadium walls. It was lit in sharp contrast to the now-dark sky. It moved over to the center of the wall to the left of Red's stand. A gate opened, and a man walked through to the center of the stadium. All eyes were on him. When he made it to the center, he turned to his right, to Red's side of the stadium. As Red got a good look at him as he approached, he noticed how impressive he looked. He wore a magnificent blue and red uniform, complete with a cape. He was much older than Red, and he looked very familiar. By the time he had reached Red, he finally recognized him. He learned about him in school. He was Kanto's first Pokémon League Champion. He was the trainer of dragons.

"Hello, Red. My name is Lance." Red knew that very well, and was near dumbstruck as Lance shook his hand in greeting. "Congratulations."

Red uttered an almost inaudible "Thank you," but Lance understood.

"Follow me, Champion. We have to make your title official." He gestured for Red to follow, and together, they both went through the door that Lance had originally emerged from.

Ash had watched the whole thing. He still held Pikachu in his arms, allowing him to rest even after applying the Potion. He stared at the door for several moments, pondering what had happened tonight. He thought through each of his battles. He remembered his commands. He recalled his strategies. He tried to figure out what he did wrong. Why he lost. He began to feel sorry for himself as he thought about it so hard. As he lowered his head, a tear began to form in his eye. All that he had worked for, him and his Pokémon, meant nothing. He lost.

It was then that Pikachu reached up and wiped the tear from his eye. Surprised, he looked down at his Pokémon, who was smiling at him. Almost instantly, Ash realized what he was trying to tell him. Smiling back, he said softly, "You're right Pikachu. We didn't do anything wrong. We trained hard, made it all the way here, and we gave it our best shot. Sure, we lost, but we made it to the final round! How many trainers can say that?"

"Pik-A!"

Ash laughed. "Yeah. In the end, it was all worth it." They then hugged. "And you were awesome."

"He certainly was."

Ash jumped at the sound and turned around in a hurry to find Prof. Oak standing behind him, along with the rest of his friends, and his mom.

* * *

Red followed Lance down a long corridor, down a flight of stairs, and down another corridor. After the stairs, there were very few doors along the wall, and all of them appeared empty. After a good five minutes of walking, they stopped at the final door in the hall. It was heavily reinforced and looked airtight. "Red, turn around, please." Red didn't understand, but turned around anyway, as he heard beeping behind him. He figured that Lance must have been typing a code into the lock he saw by the door. A long sequence was entered, and he heard a hissing sound. "Okay, Red." Red turned back around to find the door opening into a very empty room. Lance pressed a button, and the room was then illuminated. Also, Red looked to the end of the room and found a computer terminal that whirred to life when Lance pressed the button.

"What is it?"

"Well, Red," Lance responded, "This is where you become registered as the Indigo League Champion. Only the current Champion is allowed to enter. All other regions have one, though they're probably more advanced than ours. I've never seen them."

Red was amazed. "How do I use it?"

"It's very simple. At the terminal, you enter your name, hometown, age, and gender. Then, you place the Poké Balls of each Pokémon you used in the final battle on each of those panels on the side, and you and your team will be automatically registered. You'll become a permanent part of the Pokémon Hall of Fame."

Red's eyes grew. "Why just those three?"

"You see, some trainers use a great many Pokémon in the course of the tournament, and it's most historically relevant to record the Pokémon the Champion won with. Also, it'll ask, so tell it that your Espeon began the battle as Eevee."

Red nodded. "So, I just go up there?

Lance smiled. "She's all yours."

Red then walked up to the terminal. It wasn't very large, just having one screen and keyboard, with those three circular panels on the right. The screen had several sections already displayed. As Lance instructed, he filled them out.

_Name: Red_

_Age: 11_

_Hometown: Pallet Town_

_Sex: Male_

_Enter_

_Please place Pokémon used in the battle in the panels at the right._

Red proceeded to place Espeon, Blastoise, and Pikachu on each panel. Three cylinders then rose around each panel, and infrared light began to gloss over each Poké Ball. The screen changed again.

_Espeon_

_Blastoise_

_Pikachu_

_Did any Pokémon evolve during the battle?_

Red typed in the fact that Eevee evolved into Espeon. The screen went blank, then animated again.

_Pokémon Hall of Fame Entry_

_Red_

_Age 11_

_Pallet Town_

_Male_

_Won with Espeon, Blastoise, and Pikachu_

_Espeon entered battle as Eevee_

_2000 Indigo League Champion_

_Enter_

And with that, Red and his Pokémon became the fabric of history.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Ash. I've never seen a Pikachu fight like that before. It was amazing!" Richie was showering Ash with praise, trying to get his mind off the obvious.

The entire group had arrived at the Pokémon Center, waiting for Ash's Pokémon to be done healing after that battle. Ash's mom and Oak had tried to tell Ash that he did his best, but Misty and Brock instructed them otherwise. He hated getting lectured about that sort of thing. Given time, he would figure it out for himself. Meanwhile, he took part of the post-battle analysis. "Thanks, Richie. I'm glad you made it."

He smiled. "I promised, didn't I?"

Mrs. Ketchum sat down next to Ash. "Ash, honey. I can't tell you how proud I am of how well you're doing. One day, I let you go get a Pikachu from Prof. Oak. Next thing I know, you're both battling in the final round of the Pokémon League." She hugged him tight. "I love you, Ash."

Ash hugged her back. "I love you, too, Mom. I can't breathe." She giggled as she let him go.

Oak stepped in for his own input. "Ash, I think you did a spectacular job. Your strategy was sound, your Pokémon were very dynamic, and I saw quite the perfect blend of Pokémon and master. I knew I would see great things from you the second I gave you Pikachu."

"Thank you, Prof. Oak. To be honest, I never would have gotten here if you didn't help me start."

Ash's mother cut in. "You know, Ash. If you want, I could bring you and your friends back home for a while. You deserve to celebrate after all this hard work and competing."

Ash turned to his friends. "What do you guys think?"

"Well, I'm game," said Brock, shrugging.

Misty's eyes lit up at the idea. "Me, too. We all deserve a break from training." Everyone's eyes then went to Richie.

"Actually, I told my mom that I'd head home first thing after the tournament was over. Speaking of which, I think I need to get to bed." He seemed to regret not being able to go with them.

Ash understood. He stood up to bid him farewell. "It was great meeting you, Richie. You're a good friend."

They shook hands. "Same to you, Ash. That was some battle. I'm glad I was there." He then departed. Ash decided not to wonder if he would ever see him again. He was pretty sure he would.

"Speaking of which," Oak began, "It's about time for me to be heading back as well."

Realization dawned on Mrs. Ketchum's face. "Oh, yes. I need to get back to the hotel, also."

Laughing, Ash said his goodbyes, as did Misty and Brock. As the two of them left, Nurse Joy arrived with Ash's Pokémon. Pikachu looked just as happy as ever.

"Hey, Pikachu! Feelin' ready to take on the world?"

"Pika-PIKA!"

Ash sat back down on the couch, but noticed they were one teammate short. "Where'd Brock go?" They didn't need to look far, as he was just at the front desk, fawning over Nurse Joy. Misty stood in place, surprising Ash. "Aren't you going after him?"

Misty looked over at Brock. "It's been a long day, Ash. I'm just going to let him be." She then sat down next to Ash and set Togepi next to Pikachu, letting them play together for the first time in a while. "Pikachu sure looks happy."

Ash nodded. "He gave it his best today. He deserves to relax." They watched Pikachu help Togepi figure out the mechanics of a spoon. "I'm proud of him."

"So am I." She slowly inched closer to Ash. "I'm proud of you, too." Ash smiled in response, then saw Brock approach them, looking very disappointed. "What's wrong, Brock?" Brock didn't normally look upset about his various Nurse Joys.

"Yeah, Brock," said Misty, cutting in. "What happened? Did she tell you she was married or something?"

"Um, yes." That caught them off-guard. "Yeah, she just told me that she was married." That hadn't happened before, as far as Ash and Misty knew. Misty was just joking, but decided to cut it out. Brock must have felt so embarrassed. "It's okay, guys. I'll get over it. Right now, I just need to get to bed. It's way late. Night, guys."

As Brock went down the hall to his room for the night, Misty returned to her thoughts regarding Ash. "As I was saying," she said as she turned back to her friend, "I really am proud of you."

"Thank you, Misty."

"I mean it, Ash. I've watched you and Pikachu grow up, and I'm impressed. And the way you battled out there was just amazing. You sure looked like a champion to me."

Ash blushed yet again. "Misty, you're the best friend anyone could ask for."

Misty's smile grew wider. "Good night, Ash." But she didn't get up just yet. With the reddest face Ash ever saw, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Ash sat there, frozen, as Misty picked up her Togepi and walked back to her room. Pikachu laughed as Ash froze in place, his cheek practically on fire. As his blush started to fade, he smiled warmly, then turned back to Pikachu. He still sat on the table, waiting for whatever words of wisdom Ash had.

He remembered the battle. He remembered how his Bulbasaur was beaten down by Eevee; how Charizard had been dominated by Blastoise; and especially how Pikachu had fallen at the feet of…Pikachu. He remembered that he had lost. But then, he remembered how well Bulbasaur did. He also remembered the way Charizard soundly defeated Espeon, and how Pikachu felled that giant Blastoise. He came in second place at the Indigo League. He came close, and it seemed to be enough for his friends, and for his family. It seemed to be enough for Pikachu. And it was good enough for him.

"We did great, Pikachu." Pikachu then leapt into his arms and nuzzled himself into him. Pikachu was a great friend. No Pokémon could ever replace him. After his battle, he realized that Red must feel the same way about his Pokémon. The way they trusted each other, he had to.

The front door then opened. Was it…?

No, it wasn't. It was Officer Jenny. "Excuse me, sir. I…hey, you were the other finalist. Ash, right?"

Ash nodded. "That's right. Um, what did you need?"

"Oh, I found Team Rocket at the stadium during your battle, and I've been searching for them ever since. Have you seen them?"

Ash grinned. "I'm afraid not, officer, but I'll holler if I see anything." She then nodded and headed back out. Ash wondered what he missed today. On her way out, another trainer moved past her. Red.

This time, he didn't glance and move past him. He stopped and locked eyes with the trainer whom he had just battled. Holding Pikachu, Ash got up off of the couch and faced him. Neither of them said a word. The look in their eyes said all that needed saying.

Simultaneously, the battle played in each of their minds, each trainer remembering how well their Pokémon competed, displaying every bit of training and dedication they had all accumulated in their respective journeys. They then remembered the dignified way each of them conducted themselves. They led their Pokémon in an honorable, respectful manner, displaying the perfect blend of master and team. They entered the battle as opponents, and left with each other's sincere respect.

Still without saying a word, Ash broke the gaze and left for his room for the night, waiting to begin the next leg of his journey in the morning.

Red remained where he was, still remembering. He, of all trainers, was triumphant. The victor. The greatest master of them all.

* * *

_The End! Thank you all who read, followed, favorited, and reviewed my story, as you've inspired me throughout the process. You guys are awesome!_


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